Do you have a disabled national identity card and/or a carers national identity card?

trinidadone

hello everyone,

This is my first time posting in the Disability thread.

Over the last few years my health have gone down hill, and I have also been diagnosed with a number of conditions. I am also a unpaid carer.

Recently I was asked if I had a carers national Identity card. I had never heard of this card. I did a quick goggle search, and discovered this:

Carers ID Card
https://www.carerscarduk.co.uk/?http://?utm_source=microsoft&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=&msclkid=7e7ebe10193b1e8cd6d9d9e801bb41e1
It costs eight pounds, valid for two years and require no evidence. It offers support, discounts and emergency numbers.

Did you know about this card? Do you think it is value for money?



There are a variety of companies issuing National Disability ID Cards. These include:

The DID card (Disability Identity Card)
costs 17.50 and lasts for two years. provides special offers and a form of identity.
https://www.did-card.co.uk/

Access Card (promoted by MSE)
Costs 15.00 and lasts three years and acts as a form of ID for events and venues
Access Card: Making access easy

I am interested to know if anyone has purchased one of these cards, or like me have never heard of them? is there any benefits of having a card. 








 

marcia_

We have the access card. Only used it so far to get a queue jump pass in theme parks. 

We also have cinema exhibition card. Which we use frequently https://www.ceacard.co.uk/

trinidadone

marcia_ said:

We have the access card. Only used it so far to get a queue jump pass in theme parks. 

We also have cinema exhibition card. Which we use frequently https://www.ceacard.co.uk/

What made you decide to get the card? 

marcia_

trinidadone said:

marcia_ said:

We have the access card. Only used it so far to get a queue jump pass in theme parks. 

We also have cinema exhibition card. Which we use frequently https://www.ceacard.co.uk/

What made you decide to get the card? 

Because we went to Blackpool who informed us they no longer accepted dla letters etc as proof and only accepted nimbus / access card. Checks found Alton towers the same.

 The cea card is a no brainer even if only using a couple of times as it gets one person in free 

p00hsticks

I'm very sceptical about these schemes that a) require no evidence of eligibility and b) need paying for.
 
If I was running a business I don't think I'd accept them as evidence of a disability.  

marcia_

p00hsticks said:

I'm very sceptical about these schemes that a) require no evidence of eligibility and b) need paying for.
 
If I was running a business I don't think I'd accept them as evidence of a disability.  

 They do require evidence of eligibility. You must provide benefits pip/dla award and written information about your needs backed up with a letter from the school in our case. 

 All major theatres and arenas accept them as proof as needing a carers entry which is usually free as do all the theme parks for queue jump pass. 

Spoonie_Turtle

p00hsticks said:

I'm very sceptical about these schemes that a) require no evidence of eligibility and b) need paying for.
 
If I was running a business I don't think I'd accept them as evidence of a disability.  

They do require evidence, which I have a big issue with - if we already have evidence why do the venues not just accept that?  Why do we have to be assessed by other people (disabled people, so they should know better that an extra financial and energy burden isn't fair on us) who may or may not decide we reach an arbitrary threshold for accommodations to which we are legally entitled?  The threshold for any of the evidence they accept is very high to start with!  

I can understand having a provision for people who don't have any evidence, that it could be a conversation with (supposedly) knowledgeable people to then have a card issued to fill the gap of having other evidence, but to make us all have to do it in order to access, I repeat, accommodations which are a legal entitlement, really disturbs me.  I wonder if any disabled people were involved with MSE's endorsement of it.

(In case anyone was curious like I was, the Access card is run by Nimbus anyway, it's the same thing as far as I can see just with a different name.)

trinidadone

Hello all, thank you so much for your contributions. I wanted to make some comments if I may:

p00hsticks Posts: 14,188 Forumite    

Today at 6:56AM

I'm very sceptical about these schemes that a) require no evidence of eligibility and b) need paying for.
 
If I was running a business I don't think I'd accept them as evidence of a disability.  

Just to give you some meat on the bone, it seems like there are two very different schemes, and we must not mix the two. With the disability national card, you actually do need to provide evidence of eligibility of needs.

If you are applying for the carers national card, you are not asked to provide evidence.  Forgive me, but i did not understand when you mentioned:

"if I was running a business I don't think I'd accept "them" as a evidence of a disability". I did not quite understand who "them" was? Are you referring to disabled people when you said them, or someone else???? was a little lost here.



 

trinidadone

marcia_ said:

p00hsticks said:

I'm very sceptical about these schemes that a) require no evidence of eligibility and b) need paying for.
 
If I was running a business I don't think I'd accept them as evidence of a disability.  

 They do require evidence of eligibility. You must provide benefits pip/dla award and written information about your needs backed up with a letter from the school in our case. 

 All major theatres and arenas accept them as proof as needing a carers entry which is usually free as do all the theme parks for queue jump pass. 

Hi Marcia, I like your contribution. Each scheme seems to have slightly different evidence for the Disability card. some might require a PIP/DLA award, but we know, not every disabled person applies or has those awards, so documentation of a need/s could be sufficient. (and a mug shot of course, which can be taken using your smart phone)

Muttleythefrog

Play these things by ear... I too am sceptical of non state level official schemes. Local venues to me... they require no evidence at all. CEA card for cinema is specific and useful if you go to cinema.

Cyclamen

Lots of them are money making schemes

Carers ID card for unpaid carers. County carers support charities provide these. The bonus then is the disabled persons info is logged so if accident happens emergency services know to contact them to make sure person recieving care is supported.

Paid/employed carers if from agency/ council have own ID. Trickier for those employed with council funding by the disabled person. Payslip is intrusive but works. Some DPO ( disabled persons organisation) provide badges

Proof of disability cards. I have the paid access card. They required evidence to add symbols to the card eg queue assist, carer +1 or +2, Toilet requirements, wheelchair symbol etc.. not every disabled person has the same needs. 
There is also a free to apply for nimbus card that some attractions use. 

I also carry photo of PIP, blue badge photo and a GP letter ( I had to pay for) stating I need two carers in some situations.

CEA Cinema card has a cost.. my local cinema still gives free carer tickets without it. 

It's getting much harder to prove the need for a carer. Places are making distinctions between employed and unpaid carers when offering tickets etc.